Unprecedented Superhigh-Rate and Ultrastable Anode for High-Power Battery via Cationic Disordering

High-power lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are critical for power-intensive applications; however, their development is largely hindered by the lack of anode materials that have stability and high capacity at high charging/discharging rates. Herein, a cationic disordering strategy is reported to build an ideal high-power anode with boosted intercalation kinetics and a stable framework. A novel titanium niobate (TiNb2O7) anode with unique predistorted Nb(Ti)O-6 octahedrons (pd-TNO) is developed by introducing cation disorder, which allows ultrafast Li+ storage within seconds and exceptional stability over long cycling at high rates. The pd-TNO delivers an outstanding specific capacity of 153 mAh g(-1) at 100 C, 20 times higher than that of conventional TNO anodes without cationic disordering, and retains 42.8% of the capacity after 15,000 cycles. Using the pd-TNO anode, a high-power LIB with an unprecedented power density of 91,197 W kg(-1) at 200 C, which is approximately eight times higher than that of the advanced commercial high-power anode Li4Ti5O12 (11,813 W kg(-1) at 50 C), is demonstrated. Importantly, the pd-TNO is prepared under ambient conditions via a high-throughput process, and it exhibits considerable potential for scalability for practical applications.

Automated summary

This study reports the development of a novel titanium niobate anode material, pd-TNO, with boosted intercalation kinetics and stability at high charging/discharging rates. The pd-TNO anode enables ultrafast Li+ storage and exceptional cycling stability, delivering an outstanding specific capacity at high rates. Using pd-TNO, a high-power LIB with unprecedented power density is demonstrated, showing great potential for practical applications.